Probabilistic Vibration-Based Health Monitoring of Civil Structures.

Abstract: The main objective of this study is to evaluate and improve the finite element (FE) model updating process for applications to civil structures. The FE model updating technique using the identified modal parameters can potentially predict the existence, location, and severity of damage which is commonly defined as a change in the structures' physical properties. The updated FE model can ... read morealso be used for accurate response predictions under future loading events. The focus in this dissertation is on Bayesian FE model updating techniques and their applications to operational civil structures under different sources of uncertainties such as modeling errors, changing environmental and ambient conditions, and measurement noise. To this end, the Hierarchical Bayesian FE model updating technique is developed in this study and is applied for model calibration, damage identification, and response prediction of a pedestrian bridge. The major difference of the proposed Hierarchical approach to the existing Bayesian model updating techniques is its ability to explicitly consider the variability of structural mass and stiffness due to for example changing environmental and ambient conditions. read less